04/01/2024
King Building Supply
Will Be CLOSED on April 8
Why? In August. 2017, after much planning and preparation, I traveled with three young kids to a national forest in Kentucky with the intention of seeing a total solar eclipse. We had packed the van with a cooler full of food and drinks, camping gear, a fan, a tire repair kit, CB and HAM radios, cameras, a portable potty, and a microwave. It sounds like a lot, but all of it was used. The tire repair kit and air pump were especially useful.
We left early Saturday morning and drove fifteen hours with stops. I was exhausted and pulled off the road as soon as we got to the forest. I folded the back row seats down and converted the van from an automobile to a camper. The following day, we drove to the spot I had chosen to view the eclipse. I had some other family in the area and told them I had the perfect spot. They joined up with us later in the afternoon, and we were glad for the company.
Monday, August 21st, 2017 was the day of the eclipse. People began gathering at my choice location early in the morning. We were nearly surrounded by water under mostly clear skies. The entire eclipse, from first contact to the end, took several hours.
Things really start to happen quickly just before totality. The sunlight loses its intensity and heat. Birds and insects change their sounds. And when our moon, of the perfect angular size, slips in front of the sun... this is where words cease to accurately describe the complex feelings and emotions which will be different for each observer. I can tell you that it appears that the sun has set in all directions simultaneously.
That August day, I decided to close KBS on April 8th, 2024, so that my employees would have the opportunity to experience a total solar eclipse. Being in the path of totality is important. That last 1% is 99% of it. It's worth taking a vacation day. It might even be worth going AWOL for a day. A local total solar eclipse is a rare opportunity to see the greatest show on earth. I would encourage everyone to try to see it. ~Jeremy